Combined bottle-draining and box-cleaning device.



H. W. NOETHIG 6: M. G. BOURGO.

COMBINED BOTTLE DRAINING AND BOX CLEANING DEVICE.

APILIOATION IILED EEPT. 9,1908. 91 3,544, Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

WITNESSES ms NORRIS PETERS cm. wAsmucrcn. n c.

.UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTCE.

HERMAN W. NOETHIG AND MITOHAEL G. BOURGO, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 28, 1909.

Application filed September 9, 1908. Serial No. 52,281.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Herman XV. Nonrrrrer and Mrrormnn C. Bounce, bothcitizens of the United States, residing in the city and county of SanFrancisco and State of California, have invented new and usefulImprovements in a Combined Bottle-Draining and Box-Cleaning Device, ofwhich the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an apparatus which is designed for emptying anddraining bottles, and at the same time cleaning the boxes in which theyare contained.

Bottled beer, soda, and the like, are usually packed in cases eachcontaining a dozen bottles, more or less, these cases being divided oifby longitudinal transverse partitions into pockets, and a bottlesupported in each pocket.

WVhen the empty bottles are returned in their cases they are frequentlyin a very dirty condition, and the boxes or cases in which they arepacked contain dust and trash. The bottles are often returned with smallportions of beer or liquid in them, and sometimes they are found to havebeen used as receptacles for oil or other substances foreign to theirordinary use. Such bottles, when returned, are usually cleansed by beingplaced in a bath of strong cleansing fluid; but if the bottlescontaining remnants of liquid are placed in the bath, the latter isdiluted and its strength very materially diminished.

The object of our invention is to provide a means for rapidly andeffectually draining thebottles of their dregs, and at the same timecleansing the cases or boxes without taking the bottles out of theboxes.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combinationof parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, havingreference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sideelevation of our apparatus, parts being shown in section. Fig. 2 is aplan view of cleaning and draining tables.

A represents a table of suitable size, shape and material, and supportedin anyappropriate manner.

The table is preferably made with a surrounding peripheral ledge or rim2, with the top of the table sloping or conoaved towards a central drainpipe 3, which latter is ordinarily connected with the sewer. Supportedon this table by suitable means, as the braces l, is a tilt-able stand 5pivoted at (3 so as to be turned through an arc of approximately more orless. This stand 5 is hollowed out, or otherwise has formed in it a mainair duct or chamber 7, from which extend the air pipes 9 by which thecleaning out of the case or box is accomplished, as will be shortlydescribed.

The stand or supplemental table 5 is adapted to turn about its pivot andmay be held in horizontal, or as near horizontal as desired, position,by suitable means, as the hook 10 on the stand, and the latch spring 11which has a slot 12 to engage the hook 10. The latch is released fromthe hook by any suitable means, as the handle 13 which is pivoted to afixed part of the frame and has an arm 14: to engage back of the latch.lVhen the supplemental table 5 is released from its latch and turned sothat it stands in a substantially vertical position, it will permit abox or case 15 of empty bottles, or bottles partly emptied, which hasbeen stood on end, to be shoved along the slide 16 and pushed over aperforated board or bottle rack 17 which is carried by and fixedlyspaced from the table 5 by means of the braces 18. This rack 17 hasopenings 19 which register with the necks of the bottles, and it hasother openings through which the air pipes 9 extend a suflicientdistance, so that when the air is turned into the chamber 7 and pipes 9,the dirt inside of the box will be blown out. When a box of bottles hasbeen shoved up against the rack 17, as represen ed in dotted lines, F 1,the box, bottles, and stand 5 are all turned about the pivot (3 untilthe hook 10 engages the latch spring 11; the bottles then being invertical or nearly vertical position, and their contents draining out onto the troughshaped table A.

The air chamber 7 is flexibly connected with any suitable source of airpressure supply, the air being suitably controlled by an appropriatevalve, represented at 20. As soon as the bottles are turned upright thevalve 20 is opened and a series of air jets dis charged through thepipes 9 into the box between the bottles, these blasts blowing out allthe dust and dirt remaining in the box.

The box thus being cleansed is lifted clear of the bottles which remainin the rack 17.

The bottles are then taken out by the oper-' ator and placed in thewashing and cleansmg tank, whereupon the handle 13 1s manipulated torelease the latch 11, allowing the stand 5 and rack 17 to be turned oncemore into vertical position ready for the next case of bottles.

The slide 16 by which the empty cases are fed to the cleaning device maybe provided on its upper surface with rollers 21, and this slide ispreferably pivoted at 22 and made adjustable at its front end byappropriate means, as the screw 23 is threaded into the table A. Thepurpose of this screw 23 is to adapt the device to cases and bottles ofdifferent sizes.

In order to assist in the ready removal of an inverted box from therack, we may eniploy the side rests 24 which are preferably rigid withthe table A, and between which rests the rack and air-jet stand turn. Asa box filled with bottles is set up against the rack with the bottlenecks engaged in the rack, and the rack is then turned to invert thebottles, the side edges of the box gradually come in contact with theside guides or rests 24 and operate to lift the box more or less, at thesame time not entirely withdrawing the box from the rack. After the boxhas been cleaned it is easily lifted off of the rack and bottles. Theseside rests are particularly useful with heavy boxes.

The stand 5 is preferably cast with the air ducts formed in the mannershown.

By this device we are enabled rapidly to prepare the bottles for thesubsequent washing, and to cleanse the cases ready to be filled again.

Under some circumstances it may be de sirable to use the apparatussimply for the purpose of draining bottles in their cases.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is 1. In a device of the character described,thecombination of a tiltable support a rack to fit inside of a case tobe cleaned and having openings to receive the bottles in the case, andair supply pipes discharging through the rack between the bottle-holdingspaces.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a tilting stand having meansfor supporting a case and its contained bottles with. the bottles andcase inverted, a support for the stand, and means carried by the standfor discharging jets of air into the case between the bottles.

3. In a device of the character described, a tilting rack to fit insideof a case to be cleaned and having openings to receive the bottles inthe case, supporting means for the rack, and air supply pipesdischarging through the rack between the bottle-holding spaces.

4:. In a device of the character described,

a tilting rack to fit inside of a case to be cleaned and having openingsto receive the bottles in the case, air-supply pipes discharging throughthe rack between the bottle-holding spaces, said rack mounted to turnfrom a vertical to a substantially horizontal position, a support forthe rack and means for holding the rack in ahorizontal position.

In a device of the character described, the combination of a drain tablehaving a trough-like top with a discharge outlet, a tilting standsupported on the table, said stand carrying a rack adapted to fit insidethe bottle case and the rack having openings to receive the bottles inthe case, and means carried by the rack for discharging a blast of airinto the case between the bottles, with the bottles in the rack draining011 to the table when said rack is in horizontal position.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a tablehaving a troughlike top with a discharge outlet, a tilting standpivotally supported above the table, said stand having air ducts withair supply connections, said air ducts connected with air jet pipesprojecting from the face of the stand, and a bottle rack carried by thestand and through which said air jet pipes discharge.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a tablehaving a troughlilre top with a discharge outlet, a tilting standpivotally supported above the table, said stand having air ducts withair supply connections, said air ducts connected with air jet pipesprojecting from the face of the stand, a bottle rack carried by thestand and through which said air jet pipes discharge, said stand andrack being tiltable from a substantially vertical position to onewhereby the inverted bottles in the rack may drain on to the table, andmeans engaging the stand to hold it and the rack with the bottlesinverted.

8. In apparatus of the character described, a tilting stand having meansfor supporting a case and its contained bottles with the bottles andcase inverted, a support for the stand means carried by the stand fordischarging jets of' air into the case between the bottles, and siderests engageable by the inverted case between which the stand isturnable.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HERMAN WV. NOETHIG. MITGHAEL C. BOURGO. IVitnesses W. A. Bnaon, JAS. R.MoGrRURY.

